Dear Friend,

Thank you for being part of the KinderSmile Foundation village! Your continued support helps us invest in our patients and families holistically. It is hard to believe that summer is coming to an end, and our children were back in the classroom this week. School readiness includes good oral health, and our dedicated team was ready to provide resources and educate, out in the community and at our Dental Homes!

As a leading nonprofit organization with a mission to provide underserved communities in New Jersey with access to oral health care, we advance our mission daily, opening the doors to all patients starting at age zero, regardless of means, insurance coverage, or immigration status.

We are excited to share the latest from KinderSmile Foundation, as we continue to raise awareness of the disparities that must be addressed, expand access to oral health care, forge community collaborations, and offer mentorship about Public Health Dentistry.

We are truly grateful to YOU, our donors, grantors, volunteers, and friends who are all part of the KinderSmile Foundation village. Together, we can work towards our vision of a future where every child has access to a dentist and preventable dental diseases are eradicated. Your steadfast support and generosity are truly appreciated! #ItTakesAVillage  

With sincere gratitude,

Nicole McGrath-Barnes, DDS, FACD

Founder & CEO

Michal Herman, DDS, FACD

COO

The Latest from KinderSmile Foundation

Community Collaborations!

KinderSmile Foundation is in the community and for the community!

Community collaborations pave avenues for us to address disparities in access to care. Through our school based KinderSmile Oral Health Program, through our Perinatal Health and Wellness Program, and through endless oral health education forums, we raise awareness of oral health as the gateway to overall wellbeing.

◊ KinderSmile Oral Health Program (KSOHP) provides diagnostic and preventive care at over 158 schools and community centers at no out of pocket cost to caretakers. To combat oral health disease, we meet families where they are, reducing school and work absenteeism. Unlike most school based programs, KSOHP establishes a critical link to a Dental Home for continuity of care.

Oral health education and treatments provided at the schools improve outcomes by employing a public health approach and contributing to the arrest of existing decay and the prevention of new cavities.

◊ Raising awareness of dental care during pregnancy as a safe, effective, and recommended method of prevention, can lead to key public health improvements. Through collaborations with over 80 maternal organizations, oral health education sessions to pregnant and recently postpartum mothers, and training sessions for the maternal health workforce, KinderSmile Foundation’s Perinatal Health and Wellness Program makes a significant impact!

In the spirit of KinderSmile Foundation, and in line with our focus on Education, Intervention, and Prevention, the Perinatal Health and Wellness Program provides a crucial link to a Dental Home for mothers and their children, starting at age 0 or the eruption of the first tooth, ensuring access to continuity of care regardless of insurance status. 

◊ Train the Trainers sessions empower leaders in the community to carry the message further, as they contribute to KSF’s legacy and long term impact! The Arc Mercer staff and aides participated in a session led by long time villager Dr. Ethan Glickman, about implications of oral health on adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs).

Adults with IDDs face major barriers when it comes to accessing dental care. By providing caregivers with the right tools, knowledge, and techniques, we are taking a step forward for this underserved and often overlooked population.

◊ KinderSmile Foundation is celebrating Back to School with our annual raffle! School readiness includes good oral health. The event is intended to encourage caretakers to keep their appointments, schedule all necessary care in a timely fashion, incentivize returning for regular recall visits, and maintain a proper home care routine.

◊ Empowering young minds, Career Carnival for Kids and school wide career fairs, provide early exposure to the dental profession, exposing children to various paths of the field with hands-on activities. 

Oral health directly affects mental health and school performance. Building confidence and providing resources for the next generation are crucial steps KinderSmile Foundation is taking to leave a legacy and shape aspirations!

Partnerships Statewide and Beyond!

◊ The 112th National Dental Association (NDA) Convention in Kansas City, MO, opened the door to purpose and impact, in a continued effort to promote Public Health Dentistry. 

Dr. Nicole McGrath-Barnes, Founder & CEO, and Dr. Michal Herman, COO, hosted a screening of KSF’s award winning oral health documentary Toothache: The Painful Truth About Oral Health Care Inequity. The screening was attended by NDA members, including dental professionals and students from across the country.

The event sparked a meaningful discussion about the crucial and urgent need for equitable access to oral health care and how we, as providers and as a society, can directly impact children and families.

Mentorship opportunities throughout the convention weekend contributed to the efforts of KinderSmile Foundation’s Community Service Learning Program, uplifting the next generation of providers, and enticing them to contribute to underserved vulnerable populations through public health.

In recognition of her 18 years of service, Dr. Nicole was honored with the Phenomenal Woman of Courage Award at NDA's 31st Annual Women's Health Symposium!

A heartfelt thank you to NDA President, Dr. Cheryle Baptiste-Hill for the warm welcome, support of our mission, and for providing us the space and platform to amplify the voices and stories of children and families in our community.

◊ The New Jersey Department of Health’s Inaugural Oral Health Conference, attended by over 300 in person and virtually, was a successful step towards raising awareness of the need for medical-dental integration, and about the cost implications of oral health care.

Dr. Michal Herman, COO, and Nyeilla Veale, PHWP Director, represented Public Health Dentistry and Maternal and Infant Oral Health in powerful presentations, highlighting how KinderSmile Foundation contributes to addressing racial and socioeconomic inequities in access to care for mothers and families.

◊ For 80% of US veterans, dental care is not covered under the VA, and for many it is not accessible and unaffordable. An exciting new partnership with Veterans Evaluation Services (VES) demonstrates our unwavering commitment to bridging the gap in access to oral health care, when we identify a pocket of need in the community!

Veterans dental care is often overlooked in oral health conversations, and we are proud to expand our impact by partnering with VES, whose vision is well aligned with KSF’s in improving Veterans’ access to equitable care by expanding their network of professional examiners.

Together, we can help ensure that no veteran is left behind!

◊ Based on KinderSmile Foundation's work to provide access to oral health care to communities in New Jersey and advocate for expanded resources, Dr. Michal Herman, COO, was invited to join the National ALICE Leadership Committee for Oral Health.

Guided by this committee, UnitedForAlice will launch the ALICE and the Dental Divide: Oral Health in NJ dashboard and research brief to inform about existing gaps in oral health care access for those who are struggling financially.

We are grateful to Kim Elmore from Delta Dental of NJ for coordinating this introduction, and for the continued support, and we look forward to being able to share and present the data with our stakeholders.

KSF-RAM Trenton Expedition!

◊ KinderSmile Foundation is thrilled to announce that on November 8th and 9th we will be hosting Mercer County’s largest community health event of the year, in partnership with Remote Area Medical (RAM) and Mercer Street Friends, to bring an impactful FREE two day clinic to New Jersey’s capital.

Along with hundreds of volunteers, we will provide FREE same day dentures, dental screenings, oral health education, vision exams, same day eyewear, and endless community resources. First come, first served, no insurance ID needed.

We are currently seeking additional donors, sponsors, and professional volunteers to join the team.

Dentists, nurses, optometrists, and opticians are needed. Please visit https://www.ramusa.org/volunteer/ to lend a hand!

This is a powerful opportunity to pour into our community by improving access to essential healthcare resources and services. Let’s work together to spread the word and ensure that everyone who needs care can receive it.

Please help us bring this vision to life!

It truly takes a village!

The impending uncertainties to Medicaid and social services, and the media confusion about the use of fluoride, are further limiting access and threatening prevention, rather than prioritizing the health of the community. We are turning to YOU, our partners, supporters, donors, and volunteers to help us make a long lasting positive impact. 

If you are a dental provider, we need you!

Please join our Give Back a Smile Program, and become a dental professional volunteer! Can we count on you? Whether you can contribute once a week, once a month, or just once, we would be grateful!

Please be a part of the solution and give back! Thank you!

If you are a NJ licensed dentist or dental hygienist

and would like to learn more, please email Dr. Herman

Please join our efforts of changing the landscape of access to oral health care in New Jersey by supporting KinderSmile Foundation. 

Your tax-deductible donation has a direct lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of every child and adult served at our Dental Homes and through our programs.

To learn more about donations of stock or planned giving,

please email Trevor McPherson.

Thank You to Our Grantors and Sponsors!

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